What is it called when language and comprehension is controlled by the right hemisphere?

Question

I have epilepsy and was recently given a WADA angiogram. The dr sent a catheter to my arteries in my neck and injected each side with sodium amytal to put each half of my brain to sleep for about 40 sec. We found that my language and comprehension is controlled by my right hemisphere, not my left, which is rather unusual. Is there a specific term to describe this condition?

Answer 1

Yes, you're always in your right mind.  And of course, never a wrong minded answer can cross your lips!

Answer 2

I like RB's sense of humor.  ;-)

How interesting!  I've never seen this test done.  Yes, you are in the minority; most people's language function is lateralized to the left side.  However, I don't know of any term for it other than right-brain dominance or laterality of language function--it's not a condition the way your epilepsy is, just a variant of normal brain function.

Some people even show bilateral language function.  Are you also left-handed?

Answer 3

In at least 95% of right-handed persons, the speech and language centers are located in the left hemisphere. In lefties, it's located in the right hemisphere about 15% of the time.

The term generally used is "hemisphere dominance". For example, if you are left-handed and have your language center in the left hemisphere, you'd be termed as having "language in the non-dominant hemisphere". There is no term that I know of specific to the phenomenon.